Nine officers sacked for turning police station into nightclub

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Ricardo de Leon sacked yesterday the head of the anti-drug unit of Station 4 of the Central Police District (CPD) in Novaliches and eight other policemen for turning the police station into a nightclub during a birthday party for one of the officers.

De Leon also ordered Superintendent Nilo Wong, chief of the Station 4 anti-illegal drugs special operations task force and PO3s Jose Usero and Jerry Villamor, PO2s Noel Magcalayo and Isagani Mateo, PO1s Michael Collado, Oliver Estrelles, Emetrio Mendoza Jr., and Edmond Paculdar to undergo mandatory drug tests.

"They have to be disarmed and relieved because they blatantly violated the standing PNP (Philippine National Police) code of conduct and ethics, which is to make our stations the most respectable public office," De Leon said in an interview.

He also directed CPD director Chief Superintendent Castro Jr. to institute summary dismissal proceedings against the nine policemen.

The move came after a photo of a police officer with a bikini-clad woman dancing before him appeared in a newspaper.

NCRPO spokesman Chief Inspector Bart Bustamante said the pictures were taken by the cops themselves during the birthday celebration of Usero last Jan. 24. Usero is the personal driver of Station 4 chief Superintendent Benedicto Lopez.

Villamor was assigned at the station intelligence and investigation branch while Mateo, Magcalayo, Paculdar, Mendoza and Estrelles came from AID-SOTF. Bustamante said they are still determining the assignment of Collado. Bustamante said the woman was hired by local AID-SOTF members for the birthday bash held at the anti-drug office at the ground floor of the police building.

However, the photos were circulated and reached the hands of a tabloid reporter who allegedly had an ax to grind against the policemen.

Bustamante said he saw three pictures, two of them showing Usero kissing and fondling the breast of the woman.

De Leon motored to the police station yesterday to personally announce the relief of Wong and the eight policemen for grave misconduct.

He said the incident was an "isolated" case.